Our furry little friends (and most times, family) are adorable and awesome. But we admit sometimes that maintaining them could be a real pain. But we love them. That’s why we put up with it. But when maintaining them becomes almost unbearable – pet odor – what do we do? In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to solve your pet odor problems.

Olfactory fatigue

The major reason it’s hard for us to detect the odors our furry friends have in our home, but to a visitor, this odor stands out and if your pet is in bad health, can be a bit offensive. Olfactory fatigue is the temporary inability of the sense of smell to perceive an odor due to prolonged exposure to the odor. It happens everywhere, you’re not alone in this.

We love our pets, but we don’t always love their odors. Most issues can be resolved with regular mopping, vacuuming, and bathing our pets, but sometimes pets make mistakes and some foul odors rise to our senses.

Animals tend to mark their territory

This much we know. Sometimes the solution is additional training, but sometimes it is a medical concern. If you find your pet “marking” areas of your home, try to use positive reinforcement to encourage them to do their business in an acceptable place (like the litter box, outside, or puppy-pads). If more accidents happen, make sure to completely remove the stain and odor from the spot because if you do not, they will continue to see that as an acceptable place to relieve themselves. If proper retraining does not help, consult your vet to discuss other options.

A Layer of Paper Towels and…

The Humane Society has some suggestions for the proper cleaning of pet marking messes. For one, they recommend a layer of paper towels covered by a layer of newspaper. Once you apply pressure, the mess should start absorbing then finish by rinsing the area with water and removing as much of the water as possible. The last step is difficult without a wet-vac or professional care.

Covering the stain with Scented chemicals

Covering the stain and smell with scented cleaning chemicals is less likely to work than a deep cleaning. The pet odor-causing molecules need to be completely removed for maximum effectiveness. Basic carpet cleaning chemicals may mask the scent from you and other humans, but your pet will still be able to smell it and they will continue to mark there. To help this, pet stores sell “pet odor neutralizers” which will work much better than normal carpet cleaners.

Reapplying varnish

Unfortunately, when left untreated pet stains on wood can lead to permanent damage. The only solution at this point is reapplying varnish. Like carpet stains, they are best treated as soon as possible. Allowing Sparky’s markings on any surface may lead to damage that even professional cleaners cannot fix.

If your pet is still in potty training, or you have begun retraining them, give us a call at Accents in Cleaning. Our deep cleaning procedures can restore your floors to like-new conditions. If you don’t believe us, check out the customer review on Yelp stating that our services kept them from having to pay a re-carpeting fee on their rental apartment. Clean floors are wonderful to have, and we won’t let you consider rehousing your pet in order to maintain cleanliness in your life. Call us today on 925-565-9255 so we can help you keep a clean, and fresh smelling home.